School Bus Driver Resignations Create Issues On First Day

To expect the first day of school to go absolutely smoothly in a school system as large as the Lafayette Parish system would be having the bar raised a little too high. But as first day's go, yesterday's first day of classes around Lafayette was certainly smoother than last year.

Transportation officials with the school system thought they had all of the "I's" dotted and "t's" crossed by publishing bus routes and training drivers well ahead of yesterday's first day. What they didn't count on was the sudden departure, through resignation, of more than a dozen drivers in the weeks leading up to the start of school.

The departure of those 15 drivers left transportation officials scrambling to fill the positions or at least cover the routes until replacement drivers could be hired. As of now, Lafayette Parish Schools are covering the routes with a charter bus service. This should suffice until a permanent solution can be put in place.

If you or your child had an issue with transportation yesterday or anytime between now and the fifteenth of August you may call (337) 521- RIDE (7433). That's the Lafayette Parish School's transportation hotline. It's open for calls from 7:30 AM until 4:30 PM each day.